picture has all the warmth and tone of his Italian pictures ; rich in all the architectural detail he so ably practised, and the boats on the canal have all that beautiful buoyancy so peculiar to this master. This inimitable painter resided for a length of time, under the patronage of the Earl of Warwick, in the castle, and in that noble baronial residence he produced many of his fine pictures. He was born at Venice, 1697, and died 1768.

Above-Virgin and Child, copy of the Madonna del sisto, by Artaud, after the painting of Raphael in the Dresden Gallery. A very good copy of that beautiful picture, of which Pilkington says, "There appears in the face of the virgin somewhat more than mortal; and the child, though in the innocent posture of throwing up the legs and arms with all the air of infancy in the face, has divinity stamped throughout."

Right, above-Portrait of Edward Willes, Esq., by Artaud.

Between book-cases, interior-A Pot House, by Brouwer. A beautiful cabinet picture by this able artist. His life was a romance from its commencement, in 1608, to its unfortunate close, in an hospital at Antwerp, in 1640. He was admired and praised by his great contemporaries, Adrian Ostade (with whom he was pupil to Frank Hals) and Rubens, by whom he was liberated from prison, and to whom he was finally indebted for his funeral.

Below-Head, a study by A. Ostade. Nature and genius guided a pencil from which flowed life, truth, and excellence. He was born at Lubeck in 1610, and died in 1685.

Above-Small Landscape, by Sir G. Beaumont.

Over book-case-1st, Child Pouting, by Sir J. Reynolds. 2nd-Flowers, by Verelst.

3rd-Christ and the Woman of Samaria, by Sebastiano Ricci. A pretty cabinet picture of this popular master.

4th-Flowers, by John Baptist Monnoyer, born at Lisle, 1635, died 1699. His flowers are beautifully disposed, and naturally coloured.

Over west case-Jonah cast on Land, by Salvator Rosa. A fine picture, clothed in that savage grandeur in which this talented artist loved to indulge.

Over west door-Joseph and Potiphar's Wife; a copy, by Monge, from the painting at Dresden, by P. Ciguani. A masterly conception, boldly executed, naturally coloured, and the flesh tints very delicate.

Right of westernmost window, above—Mr. B. Percy, in chalk.

Below-The Annunciation, painted on copper, by Nicholas Mignard: though he had a good invention, he had no great fire of imagination, which defect was compensated by the correctness and neatness of his pictures.

Between the windows-Full length portrait of Bertie Bertie Greatheed, Esq., when a boy, by Chamberlain, a pupil of the talented Opie.

Left of easternmost window, above-Portrait of Sir William Herschel, by Artaud.

Right-Portrait of Dr. Mead, by Verelst, and said to be the only portrait of the Doctor extant. He was born at Stepney, and studied at Utrecht, Leydon, and Padua. He was physician to George II; was a great advocate for inoculation, and assisted in the preliminary experiments on prisoners. His practice was lucrative, and his liberality great. He published several works, which continue to be valued for their extensive information and great truth.

Right and left of the east door Cupids, by Luca Giordano (called Luca fa Presto); his imagination was fruit

ful, his conception just, his colouring fine, and his execution singularly rapid. His pictures are held in great and deserved estimation.

Over the east door-Head of St. Peter; a study, by Michel Angelo da Caravaggio, from Sir Joshua Reynolds' gallery. Annibale Caracci used to say of this artist, “he did not paint, but grind flesh," so true was he to nature. He was peculiar in working only from an upper light, which gives that sombre cast to all his paintings.

The collection of books in the library are not very extensive, but very judiciously chosen, and the copies are chiefly fine and well preserved.

In this room are paintings of Rome, from Monte Mario, by Kuebel; and Valmontone, by E. Lear. Between the windows is a beautiful specimen of ancient carving, supporting a fine old clock.

DRAWING ROOM.

This is an elegant apartment: the views from its noble bays are varied and interesting,—its west windows looking into the beautiful avenue of lofty firs, and its north over the varied expanse mentioned in the small drawing room; a marble mantel, surmounted by a mirror of large dimensions, supports a pair of candlesticks, in imitation of light Italian vases; the side tables are ornamented by china vases, and bronze statues of Mythological subjects.

Over east door-Philosophers studying, school of Rembrandt; full of life and expression.

Left of door-Dead Game, by Biltius. The talent of Biltius was devoted to still life; he painted his dead game on a white ground, which, under his able management, throws an air of reality about his subjects. He was a Dutch painter, and lived in the middle of the 17th century

Left of fire-place--The Angels appearing to the Shepherds,

by G. da Ponte, commonly called Il Bassano; painted with great force, with a depth and tone of colouring worthy a pupil of Titian. He studied first under Veneziano, who was so jealous of him, as to exclude him from his study, when the young pupil would watch his master through the key-hole; he afterwards studied the designs of Parmegiano and Titian, whose pupil he became. The bold and masterly pictures of Bassano will be best appreciated by viewing them at a short distance.

The

Right of fire-place-Landscape, by Zuccarelli. ground sweetly broken, the building and figures elegantly introduced, the skies transparent, the trees delicately touched, and the whole harmonious. This is one of the latter compositions of Zuccarelli's life, when necessity urging on genius, produced some of his finest pictures. He was born at Florence in 1710, and died there 1788.

Beyond-Portraits of the Hon. Mrs. Percy and her daughter, by Cregan.

Left of south door-Cupids blowing Bubbles, by Castiglione.

Right of the door-Embarkation of Charles II from Holland, by Vandervelde, the younger; the vessel has that natural position, the water that transparency, and the lowering clouds that natural horror, given only by this painter; of whom, since the revival of the art, no nation has produced an equal in the line of study he chose.

West wall, right-Cupids Dancing, by Solimena; a beautiful picture, showing a chaste union of the grace, elegance, and colour of the Venetian and Italian schools.

Left of the west window-View of Dort, by John Van Goyen. This picture, by the pupil of Esaias Vandervelde, pleases from the softness and delicacy of the touch and its

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general harmony.

This magnificent picture is considered the master-piece of this admired artist, and like most of his best, bears his name and date.*

Right of west window-View on the river Maes, with Rotterdam in the Distance, by Albert Cuyp; a chaste yet brilliant picture—the repose of the water, the truth and transparency of the colouring, and the delicacy of the minute touches are all in exquisite harmony. It possesses also a large share of that warm and sunny glow observed in the pictures of Claude.

West wall, near south door-Nymph and Satyr, by Guercino; a fine picture, rich in conception and bold in execution. Guercino was indefatigable in his attention to his studies, and produced an amazing number of pictures of the highest order, which will be prized as long as talent continues to be admired. Born 1590, and died 1666.

On the floor stands a fine painting by the late Mr. Greatheed-Hannibal's Vision of an Angel sent by Jupiter to conduct him into Italy: subject from Livy, Lib. 21, c. 22.

It may be said, without fear of contradiction, that few rooms of the same extent possess a collection of paintings by the old masters equal to this.

VESTIBULE.

This room opens into an arcade that covers the centre of the front, beneath which stand some Italian vases of large size and exquisite workmanship. The view from the door, down the avenue and across the park-like grounds beyond, is very beautiful; and the view from the garden to

*NOTE.-MR. REEVE, of Leamington, the eminent picture cleaner, than whom few men are better qualified to judge, pronounces this the finest picture by Van Goyen he ever saw.